


My Guiding Light

by ShineBrightStarLight



Series: August Writer's Month 2019 [20]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Good Lotor (Voltron), Lotor survived, M/M, Or everything he does has good intentions, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 10:51:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20338927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShineBrightStarLight/pseuds/ShineBrightStarLight
Summary: Bright light suddenly filtered in through the darkness, bringing a wave of fresh air with it. The air tasted sweeter than anything he had ever breathed before. Where was he? He felt so weak. His eyes burned beneath his eye lids.Sound slowly filtered back to him. Yelling echoed throughout the area, breathing and the screeching of metal on metal. A voice cut through the noise, like an angel descending from the heavens.“Stay with me Lotor, I’ve got you. Just stay awake for me.” Lotor clung to the voice, with what little strength he had yet. He could do that. He could stay awake for this person.The noises came closer, and with them came the strong scent of fear and anger. Raised voice he couldn’t decipher and pounding hearts were so loud they rattled throughout his brain. What were they afraid of? He tried, weakly to open his eyes, but couldn’t.For Day 21 of Writer's Month; words prompt; hope





	My Guiding Light

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry, I didn't have time to edit this today. Feel free to point out any mistakes!
> 
> Title from Mumford & Sons "Guiding Light"

Bright light suddenly filtered in through the darkness, bringing a wave of fresh air with it. The air tasted sweeter than anything he had ever breathed before. Where was he? He felt so weak. His eyes burned beneath his eye lids.

Sound slowly filtered back to him. Yelling echoed throughout the area, breathing and the screeching of metal on metal. A voice cut through the noise, like an angel descending from the heavens. 

“Stay with me Lotor, I’ve got you. Just stay awake for me.” Lotor clung to the voice, with what little strength he had yet. He could do that. He could stay awake for this person. 

The noises came closer, and with them came the strong scent of fear and anger. Raised voice he couldn’t decipher and pounding hearts were so loud they rattled throughout his brain. What were they afraid of? He tried, weakly to open his eyes, but couldn’t. 

His angels voice hushed the others, and although he couldn’t hear what they were saying, their voice brought him great comfort. 

“Lotor, this part is going to be painful, but it’s the only way to get you out. Stay with me, I’m so sorry.” 

Something wrenched in his gut and Lotor screamed, his eyes flying open in shock. He saw a scarred face, pale, with a mop of black hair and gorgeous violet eyes. He recognised them, briefly, through his pain, before it overwhelmed him. He blacked out. 

Lotor woke slowly. His hearing came first, a slow repetitive beeping, distant noise. Breathing, both his own and another person’s. Something cold and heavy was wrapped around his wrist, something else strapped around his chest. His head pounded, and he felt uncharacteristically weak. He tried to open his eyes, but they felt like they had been glued shut. 

“You’re awake,” a person said, somewhere to his right. He tried to lift his hand to wipe his eyes, but couldn’t move either of them. 

“I’ve got them.” A hand tenderly wiped his eyes clean. Lotor couldn’t remember the last time he was treated so delicately. He blinked his eyes open, to see the black paladin before him. Angel, his mind whispered, although Lotor couldn’t think why. 

“Wh-“ he broke down cough, his voice sore from misuse. “Where am I?” 

“The Galaxy Garrison’s hospital. What do you remember?” 

That was a good question. What did he remember? He remembered the castle ship, and Allura. The Sincline. The rift. He… came back, didn’t he? But the Black Paladin had an Altean from his colony with him. He couldn’t remember much after that. 

“Not much,” he muttered, not liking the strain and vulnerability in his voice. The Black Paladin just smiled, resigned. 

“That’s okay. I didn’t expect you to.” 

“What happened?” The paladins face grew sombre. He settled into a seat at Lotor’s bedside before answering. 

“You fought us, with your ship. We went into the rift, but it drove you mad. We didn’t have time to rescue you before it got us as well. We were in the rift for three years. We returned to Earth, and by the time we came back, Haggar had pulled you from the rift. We thought you were dead, but once she died you came to life. Your ship crashed without her to control it, or you I supposed, and I pulled you out.” 

It was a lot to take in but one thing stood out to him. “Why not leave me to die?” 

The black paladins smile was far too endearing, far too noble and good. “I believe in second chances. Nobody deserves to die.” 

The Black Paladin, or Keith as he asked to be called, came to visit Lotor every chance he had. Lotor remained handcuffed to his hospital bed, although he could easily break them if he so desired. He thought Keith knew it too. 

Usually, they were quiet, but sometimes Keith had questions. Although Lotor would never admit it, those days were his favourites. 

“Were you harvesting the altean’s for their quintessence?” 

“No.” 

“Did you ever plan to do it?

“No.

“What was your plan then?” 

“To keep them safe from people like Haggar.” 

Sometimes, Lotor had questions of his own. 

“Do you believe me?”

“I don’t know.” 

“Why free me?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“Why keep me company?” 

A wicked grin, “Everyone deserves some company. Besides, despite everything that’s happened, I like you.”

There were a lot of questions Lotor never dared ask. How many lives had been lost due to his own negligence? How was Haggar killed? What would happen to Lotor once he was healed?  
Despite Keith’s reassurances, Lotor didn’t have much hope for himself. He had done horrible things – even if he was being controlled. How could the Coalition forgive him, how could they ever let him walk free? 

Lotor grew comfortable with Keith. They had an easy comradery. Lotor didn’t have to be a prince, or a leader with Keith, he could just be himself, and that wasn’t something Lotor had had, in his entire life. It was dangerous, really, just how easily he fell into Keith’s orbit. 

Nobody bothered Lotor in his hospital room, and Lotor had no doubt that that was Keith’s doing. When extra pots of the curious food humans called jelly appeared in Lotor’s hospital tray, Lotor knew that that was Keith too. Who else would know how much he enjoyed it?

Slowly, but surely, Keith’s unwavering belief in Lotor rubbed off himself, and Lotor found his previously lacking self-confidence growing. Keith had the extraordinary power of conviction, and he didn’t know his own charms. 

Slowly, but surely, Lotor found himself with his first genuine friend, in a long, long time. 

Slowly, but surely, Lotor found himself falling in love. 

He didn’t know what the future would hold for him, for them, but Lotor knew that he would do anything, go anywhere for Keith. 

He hoped the feeling was mutual.

(Although he didn’t know it yet, the feeling was, in fact, very, very mutual.)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
